Tell Me a Story
by Darc-lover
Summary: He smiled as a small bundle of female energy rushed at him and jumped onto the couch next to him. Curly, though not bushy, brown hair pushed itself against his cheek. “Tell me a story!” She shot him an overly energetic smile.


**Disclaimer: The characters and places in the story belong to JK Rowling, not to me. **

**Authors Note: This is a Harmony story, so if thats not your cup of tea please don't read it. The characters are a little out of character, as they would almost have to be for Harry and Hermione to end up together, as thats, sadly, not how Ms Rowling wrote the novels. I'd like to think that otherwise they are pretty much in character.**

Tell Me a Story

Harry Potter was sitting on his living room couch staring off into space thinking about his wonderful wife and beautiful daughter. He smiled to himself as he realized that over the five years since he had graduated Hogwarts, he had finally been able to live the life he'd always wanted.

Harry had run away with his best friend Hermione Granger the day before he was supposed to marry Ginny Weasley. The Weasley family had never forgiven them, and he really didn't blame them. He hadn't meant to hurt them, but he had realized that he was actually in love with his best friend and had followed his heart. A year later he had welcomed Hailey Joanne into the world.

He smiled as a bundle of female energy rushed at him and jumped onto the couch next to him. Curly, though not bushy, brown hair pushed itself against his cheek. He smiled at the innocence in her eyes, and gave her a quick kiss on her forehead.

"Tell me a story!" She shot him an overly energetic smile. He couldn't help but smile back, she seemed so happy. He quickly decided to tell the story he had been pondering.

"Once upon a time there was a hero named Harry. He had everything he could think of asking for, money in the bank, a blossoming career with the aurors, and a very sweet fiancée who wanted him more than she wanted anything else in the world. But he wasn't happy. Harry had a secret that was tearing him apart. He was in love with his best friend, Hermione Granger." At this, the little one who was laying in his lap giggled to herself. He smiled again.

"Harry wouldn't admit this to anyone, though. Not even himself. That's why he had engaged himself to a girl he loved like a sister, not like a wife. The problem was that his other best friend, Ronald Weasley, was also in love with Hermione." Harry smiled to himself as the girl he'd sworn to protect stuck her tongue out at the mention of Ron. "Harry's whole life, he'd never had a loving family. But Ron's family had unofficially adopted him, and Harry loved them as if he was really part of the large Weasley family, and Harry couldn't stand to hurt any of them." Harry heard a small snort from her when he said this.

"The night before Harry's wedding to the beautiful Ginevra Weasley, his beloved Hermione came to spend time with him. They had promised back at Hogwarts that they would spend the night before their weddings together. 'Same as Mr. Rochester asked of Jane Eyre' was Hermione's reasoning. Harry had never read the book so he didn't understand her. Hermione suggested that they read it together before he got married." Harry could feel, but not see her moving to be able to see the book in a place of honor on the bookcase.

"They read taking turns, her reading a chapter, then him reading a chapter the same way they had back at school. Then they got to a point in the book that surprised Harry. It turns out that when Mr. Rochester had asked Jane Eyre to stay up with him before his wedding, he was actually in love with Jane and wanted them to stay up together the night before his wedding to HER. A thought sparked in Harry's mind, and he had to stop reading. Did Hermione secretly want to marry him? She seemed to notice his hesitation and looked up at him. He stared down at her, as if to ask whether she meant the same. Hermione just smiled and nodded. 'Do you…?' he asked, unable to get the words out. 'Yes, Harry, I do.'. So he kissed her, slowly and sweetly." The precious one in his lap giggled again.

"It took a very short time for them to make up their mind. Holding hands, Hermione and Harry apparated out of the room next to his, now jilted, fiancée and into the living room of the house which Harry had inherited after the death of his godfather. They fell onto the couch and ended up laying, well a lot like we are now." Harry smiled down as she snuggled her head more into his chest.

"They continued reading the novel, but left the townhouse around 9 in the morning, knowing that the Weasley's would come looking for them soon. They went straight to the Ministry of Magic and met with the minister, Kingsley Shacklebolt, himself, asking him to marry them. Mr. Shacklebolt smiled at them and let them know he'd expected it for a while. He called his secretary into the room to stand as the witness to the marriage. After agreeing to love each other forever, the two once again held hands and apparated to Grimauld Place, where they were met by Ronald Weasley." Harry heard the little one in his lap blow a raspberry as if she was doing it at Ron. He smiled, she never really did like him and was not afraid to let it known. It was cute, even though it showed a little immaturity on her part.

"Harry and Hermione had to admit to their friend what they had done behind his back. He yelled, and sent a curse at the couple, but Hermione was a more adept spell caster and already had a shield in place. They nodded and left the house, going to the muggle airport. They used the money that Hermione always had in pounds and bought two tickets to Australia where her parents were living. As the plane took off, and they started their new lives together, they new it would be a very happy one. The end."

Harry smiled down as he felt the girl on his chest snuggle in deeper. "I love you."

"I love you too. Is Hailey asleep?"

"Yeah, finally." Harry smiled again at his wife who was practically falling asleep in his lap.

"Do you want to go to sleep as well, love?"

"Yes, please. I'd never realized that raising a two year old could be so tiring."

"Me neither."

"Thank you for the story. It's my favorite."

"Mine too, love, mine too."


End file.
